2.

1 Elements of Art

Visual Arts

"Taking off from the scientific reference, elements of art are akin to the atoms
that are defined as the units or "building blocks" of matter...Elements are the
necessary preconditions for the creation of art" (Caslib et al., 2018, p.79). In
this module, the elements of visual art are line, shape, form, space, color,
texture, and perspectives. Click the next pages to read about these elements.

2.1.1 Visual Art: Line, Shape, Form, and Space

Identifying or analyzing the elements of art is important because these visual

qualities help you appreciate and understand (visual) artworks. Below are the
following elements of (visual) art that you should be aware of.

1. Line

- This is regarded as the most basic visual element. A majority of art is initially
conceived in terms of contour line (Janson & Janson, 1992). A line refers to a
point moving at an identifiable path-it has length and direction. It also has
width. It is one-dimensional; however, it has the capacity to either define the
perimeters of the artwork (edges) and/or become a substantial component of the
composition (Caslib et al., 2018).

- Some kinds of lines are curved, diagonal, horizontal, jagged, vertical, and
zigzag. Referring to the photograph below, what kinds of lines can you identify?
What image represents each line?

- Although a line is simple, it has variations in view of its

orientation/direction, shape, and thickness. And these variations of line suggest
meaning or message being conveyed by the artist (Caslib et al., 2018). Refer to
some meanings or messages of types of line below, and click meanings of lines
(Links to an external site.) for further reading later on.

Horizontal – normally associated with rest or calm

Vertical – connotes elevation or height, which usually means exaltation or

exaltation for action.

Horizontal + Vertical = stability and firmness

Diagonal – convey movement and instability, although progression can also be seen

Crooked – reminiscent of violence, conflict, or struggle

Curved – it bend or coil, and alludes to softness, grace, flexibility, or even

sensuality

2. Shape

- It refers to two dimensions which are height and width.

- There are two major types of shapes: geometric and organic. Geometric shapes find
their origin in mathematical propositions while organic shapes are those readily
occurring in nature, often irregular and asymmetrical.

3. Form
- It refers to three dimensions: height, width, and depth.

- A common technique to achieve form is the use of trompe l'oeil. What is this
technique? Watch the video tutorial in order to have a glimpse on it. Have fun!

4. Space

- It is related to shape and form.

- It is usually inferred from a sense of depth, whether it is real or simulated.

Real space is three-dimensional.

- A common technique applied by artists to achieve space is overlapping (refer to

the image).

2.1.2 Visual Art: Color, Texture, and Perspective

5. Color

Properties

= Hue – This dimension of color gives its name. It can be subdivided into primary,
secondary, and tertiary colors (Refer to the color wheel.).

= Intensity – This refers to the brightness or dullness of colors. It is identified

as the strength of color

= Value – It pertains to the lightness or darkness of colors. Value is used by

artists to create illusion of depth and solidity, a particular mood, to communicate
a feeling or in establishing a scene (e.g. day and night).
Moreover, each primary color has a range of values based on the addition and
diminishing quantity and quality of light.

~ Tint – It is the lighter color than a normal value (e.g. pink for red).

~ Shade – This is a darker color than the normal value (e.g. maroon for red).

Harmonies

= To understand intensity of colors, color harmonies are to be considered. Color

harmonies are integral considerations not only for pictorial arts but also for art
forms.

= Color harmonies are monochromatic, complementary, analogous, split-

complementary, and triadic.

Meanings

- Just like lines, color conveys message and meaning too. Each color represents not
only the refraction of a prism but a deeper one. Read the psychology behind each
color below. And for more information on the psychological properties of colors,
click color theory (Links to an external site.).

= BLACK is associated with death and gloom.

= WHITE commonly stands for purity and innocence.

= BLUE is the color of heaven.

= RED is associated with blood; it signifies anger, provokes fear, and impels
people to action.

= ORANGE suggests assertiveness or appetite.

= GREEN is normally the color of nature, and it promotes the feeling of well-being.
In addition, it implies abundance or bounty.

6. Texture

- Like space, texture can be either real or implied. This element in an artwork is
experienced through the sense of touch and sight. This element renders the art
object tactile. Some of the words used to describe texture are rough or smooth,
hard or soft, hairy, leathery, sharp or dull. Try to identify the texture applied
by the artist in the image below. Rely on your sense of sight.

7. Perspective

- There are three types of perspective which are grounded on the number of
vanishing points used by the artist:

= One-point perspective is often used in depicting roads, tracks, hallways, or rows

of trees; this type of perspective shows parallel lines that seem to converge at a
specific and lone vanishing point, along the horizon line.

= Two-point perspective makes use of two vanishing points, which can be placed
along the horizon line. It is often used in depicting structures such as houses or
buildings in the landscape that are viewed from a specific corner.

= Three-point perspective allows a viewer to look at a scene above or below. As the

name suggests, it makes use of the three vanishing points, each corresponding to
each axis of the scene.

2.1.3 Auditory Art: Rhythm to Timbre

Auditory Art

"Together with literature, music as an art form is classified as auditory art.

However, some would argue that it is under the broad category of performance art.
Either way, music, much like the visual arts, has its own building blocks or
elements" (Caslib et al., 2018, p.93). In the module, the following elements of
auditory art, especially music, are the following: rhythm, dynamics, melody,
harmony, and timbre.

1. Rhythm

- It is the pulse of music.

- It is often associated with meter and tempo. Meter, on one hand, or a time
signature (e.g. 3/4 ) is indicated at the beginning of a piece of music; meter also
shows the number of beats per measure and the value of basic beat. On the other
hand, tempo refers to fastness or slowness of music. In relation to tempo, some
Italian terms like adagio (a slow tempo), allegro ( a quick, fast, or lively
tempo), and accelerando (gradually speeding up) are used to describe it.
2. Dynamics

- It refers to the loudness and softness of music. Two common terms to illustrate
dynamics are piano (p), which means quiet, and forte (f), which means loud.

3. Melody

- It relates to pitch which refers to highness or lowness of a note or musical

sound.

4. Harmony

- It arises when pitches are are combined to form chords which refers to the
playing or hearing of two or several notes simultaneously.

5. Timbre

- This is often likened to the color of music. It is the quality that distinguishes
a voice or an instrument from another" (Caslib et al., 2018, p. 94).

2.2 Principles of Design

This section of the module focuses on several principles of design. These

principles (Caslib et al., 2018) are akin to the rules of grammar and composition.
Knowing these principles of design can equip viewers the language which allows them
to appreciate and understand artworks. Moreover, having knowledge about these
principles lessen the intimidation which novice art viewers they feel when dealing
with art. Hence, novice viewers can experience pleasure, joy, and engagement while
looking into and romanticizing artworks. Click now the next pages to read these
principles of design.

2.2.1 Balance to Proportion

Apart from the elements of (visual) art, principles are also employed by artists to
create an artwork. so let us learn more about these and hope you'll identify these
principles of art at the end of the lesson.

1. Balance - It refers to physical equilibrium; it is the even distribution of

weight on each side of a thing (Menoy, 2014). Or this principle (Caslib et al.,
2018) refers to the distribution of the visual elements in view of their placement
in relation to each other. There are three forms of balance:

Asymmetrical – The elements are not the same (or of the same weight) on each side,
putting the heaviness on one side.

Symmetrical –The elements used on one side are reflected to the other. This offers
the most stable visual sense to any artwork.

Radial – There is a central point in the composition, around which elements and
objects are distributed.

2. Scale and Proportion

- Scale refers to the size in relation to what is normal for the figure or object
in question.
- Proportion pertains to the size of components, or of objects in relation to one
another when taken as a composition or a unit. This can also refer to the values
such as amounts or number of elements or objects in a composition. Proportion can
be natural, exaggerated, idealized.

= Natural refers to the realistic size of visual elements in the artwork.

= Exaggerated relates to the unusual size relations of visual elements deliberately

exaggerating the largeness or smallness of things.

= Idealized follows the canons of perfection which aims to achieve the most ideal
size-relations.

2.2. 2 Emphasis to Pattern

4. Emphasis

- It allows the attention of the viewer to a focal point, accentuating or drawing

the attention to these elements or objects.

5. Contrast

- It is the disparity between the elements that figure into composition

6. Unity

- Unless intended to be otherwise, composition are intended to imbue a sense of

accord or completeness from the artwork.

7. Variety

- It is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to
guide the viewer’s eyes through and around the work of art (Menoy, 2014).

8. Harmony

- The elements or objects achieve a sense of flow and interconnectedness.

9. Movement

- It is the direction of the viewing eye as it goes through the artwork

10. Rhythm

- This is created when an element is repeated, creating implied movement. Variety

of repetition helps invigorate rhythm as depicted in the artwork.

11. Repetition
- Art elements such as colors, lines, shapes may appear in an artwork in a
recurring manner.

12. Pattern
- It is the image formed because of repetition.